Mariner ships MacJournal 4

Mariner Software today unveiled MacJournal 4, its popular journaling and blogging application for the Mac OS X. Version 4 introduces a completely re-engineered blogging architecture, audio recording and podcasting functionality, several feature additions, as well as many bug fixes. MacJournal allows users to easily publish blogs to any of the major blogging sites or a .Mac account, include a podcast or recorded audio as an entry, and a MacJournal Inspector for manipulating attributes of entries and journals. Users can also customize background color, labels, sorting, entry template, and other attributes for each item. A refined UI offers a browser-like interface with tabs, an improved full-screen mode, a live word count field, improved search, better keyword configuration, AppleScript support, and more. MacJournal 4 is now available for download and requires Mac OS 10.3 or higher. Pricing is $35 for a new license and $15 for upgrades from v3.0.

TiVo's dual tuner DVR due in May...

TiVo today announced the launch of the TiVo Series2 DT DVR (Dual Tuner Digital Video Recorder), the first standalone dual tuner DVR with TiVo service and features. The TiVo Series2 DT DVR is optimized for cable households, allowing users to record two shows at once simultaneously. The device incorporates built-in Ethernet and USB ports to ease the process of adding the TiVo box to a home network, and features TiVoToGo transfers that allow users to download favorite shows to a laptop or portable music player, as well as online scheduling to plan recordings from any location with an internet connection. Online services offer broadband connected Series2 subscribers the ability to view photo slideshows, check local weather or traffic via Yahoo!, purchase movie tickets from Fandango, and access Live365.

Intel debuts new vPro brand for biz PCs...

Intel today announced new vPro technology, due in the third quarter, that will help business and IT staff. Intel's vPro brand, the newest addition to the company's brand portfolio and the first targeting businesses and IT customers, will feature an Intel Core microarchitecture dual-core processor with a 64-bit microarchitecture that offers significant gains in performance and reductions in power-consumption, according to the company. Intel vPro technology also includes the second-generation of Intel Active Management Technology (Intel AMT) as well as Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT). Intel VT will be integrated into the dual-core processor while the next-generation Intel AMT will be integrated into the new platform chipset. Intel says the hardware innovations, when combined with industry-enabled software solutions, will offer superior manageability and improved security.

iPod flourishing, gaining market share...

PiperJaffray senior analyst Gene Munster today maintained an "outperform" rating on Apple shares with a price target of $99, following an examination of data from his Amazon Top Seller list ratings. Apple's iPod is flourishing on the lists for portable MP3 players and all electronics, holding all 10 spots in the top 10. The analyst believes that Apple's iPod is still gaining market share, noting the device's recent rise to 77.9 percent in March, up from 76.8 percent in February. "We believe the increase is noteworthy given that the last time we recorded 10 iPods in the Top 10 occurred on September 9th, 2005, prior to the holiday shopping season," Munster noted. The number of Macs in the Top 10 and Top 20 decreased to eight and nine, from nine and 11, respectively. "The eight in the Top 10 remains at the upper end of all observations since we began tracking the Top Sellers," Munster wrote.

Aladdin HASP compatible with Intel Macs

Aladdin Knowledge today announced that its Aladdin HASP hardware-based software protection and licensing solutions now offer support for Universal Applications. The HASP HL and HASP4 software protection keys now support Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) on both Intel- and PowerPC-based Macs, enabling software developers using HASP to allow their customers to enjoy the improved performance of the Intel-based Mac machines, while still allowing their software to run on existing PowerPC-based Mac machines. For added convenience, C API with an Xcode sample and a Daemon GUI-based installer are also provided. Aladdin HASP provides anti-piracy protection to combat unauthorized copying and use, offering tools to implement innovative software licensing schemes and flexible pricing models, including both hardware- and software-based solutions, trialware or limited use applications, and document protection.

Apple campus may cost more than $500m...

Apple's recent purchase of 50 acres in Cupertino for a second campus is valued at over $160 million, but total costs may end up topping $500 million before the iPod-maker's brand new campus is completed. The Mercury News reports that the price of the property is just the beginning, adding that by the time Apple demolishes the site's old structures and builds new offices for nearly 3,500 employees over a four year span, the company's costs could exceed the $500 million mark. Business space in Cupertino is among the most sought-after in the Bay Area, with a mere 7.7 percent vacancy rate. "Fifty-acre parcels are generally not that available in Silicon Valley," Foresight Analytics partner Matthew Anderson said.

Apple Expo Paris pre-registration opens

Apple Expo will take place this year in Paris from September 12-16 and Reed Expositions France 2006 is now accepting pre-registrations for free exhibit hall passes, which normally cost 12€. The 5-day expo will take place at the Porte De Versailles and will feature Apple along with 250 other partners, including Adobe, FileMaker, Intego, and other leading companies. The conference will also feature free workshops, other special events, and special sessions on making music on a Mac. In the past, Apple CEO Steve Jobs has used the event to launch new products; however, this year's keynote speaker has not been announced.

Apple to ship Universal Shake in May

Apple at NAB revealed that it would soon ship a Universal version of Shake, its compositing software with a complete toolset, including 3D multi-plane compositing, 32-bit Keylight and Primatte keying, cutting edge Optical Flow image processing, and Final Cut Pro 5 integration. The Universal version, running on an iMac Core Duo at NAB, is expected to be available in May. According to the report, Kirk Paulsen, senior director of pro applications marketing, demonstrated Apple’s high-end digital compositing software on an iMac Core Duo, saying that it that could have not been possible on a PowerPC-based iMac. "Typically, users of Shake have the most powerful system available to them - like a dual processor Power Mac G5 - in order to run the application. Paulsen said the processors are no longer the bottleneck when running high-end applications like Shake, now it's the speed of the hard drive." Apple also said that it has over 500,000 editors using Final Cut Studio.

Briefly: Sun CEO steps down; MS, EU case

In brief: Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy is stepping down as head of the company after more than 20 years, leaving the future of Sun in the hands of current president Jonathan Schwartz.... The European Commission has warned that Microsoft will stifle innovation, stating that "Microsoft cannot be allowed to decide who can innovate and who cannot...." Iconfactory today released a free companion collection to the unique ant's eye perspective Monolith set, adding icons for Apple's iApps, Safari, iCal, and more.... GelaSkins has launched its GelaSkins cases for iPod ($15, shown at right), featuring designs ranging from artistic prints to graffiti style street art.... Be-ez today began shipping the LEmini satchel (£35), a carrying case for fashion enthusiasts designed to stow multimedia devices, such as Apple's iPod.... Graphicxtras.com has released "Zoomlines" ($12), a plug-in for use in numerous Adobe applications to create zoom line designs with hundreds of options and more than 50 different line designs and other features.

Square Box debuts CatDV 5.0 at NAB

Square Box Systems today announced CatDV 5.0, adding library and project management features to its media asset database and professional video logging tools. CatDV's powerful media ingest and metadata extraction capabilities can build a searchable database. CatDV 5.0 Enterprise Edition adds access control, audit logging and other features to manage workflow, including adding a special tape library management screen with support for an optional wireless barcode reader. Version 5.0 also adds the ability to catalog files of any type, including Word documents, project files, spreadsheets-- allowing all the supporting files for a particular project to be annotated, archived and retrieved. CatDV Enterprise Server starts at $2000, plus $600 per seat. A public beta of CatDV 5.0 is available for free download now, with the final version expected to ship by the beginning of June 2006.

Apps: NameCleaner, CleanApp, eArtist

• NameCleaner 2.5.5 ($35) is a utility for Mac systems to manipulate file names and types. The software is specifically designed to help move files to/from Windows and Unix, including Boot Camp on Intel Macs. The update offers native support on Intel-based Macs as a Universal Binary, and can prepare Mac files for transfer to a Boot Camp Widows partition (FAT32 or NTFS). Version 2.5.5 removes illegal file name characters under Windows, and adds extensions as needed. [Download - 499KB]


• CleanApp 1.0 ($10) helps users remove applications completely from Mac OS X. The software locates and deletes extra files belonging to the application which are not deleted when the application is thrown away. CleanApp requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later. [Download - 682KB]


• eArtist 3.0 ($125) updates the business management software for artists, adding multiple tax rates (for Canadian tax) and Constituent account management. eArtist 3.0 features customizable labels, artwork/exhibition expense tracking, a new event scheduler, and automatic backup scheduling. Further features include Constituent referral tracking, retail/wholesale pricing, enhanced edition management, artwork price rounding, and more. [Download - [form]]


• RSSDreamFeeder 1.3.4 ($50-80) is a free update to the Dreamweaver extension for creating RSS feeds from existing Dreamweaver-based content. The new version of RSS DreamFeeder extends feed content support to include graphics and links as created by Dreamweaver, and all links are converted from relative to full URLs, ensuring they will continue to function properly regardless of where they are republished or displayed. The update also features improved RSS and XML output, coupled with broader RSS support. [Download - 1.8MB]


• Wallet 2.5 ($15) updates the application designed to secure and organize personal data. Wallet 2.5 brings native support to Intel Macs as a Universal Binary, and features .Mac integration. The update includes more than 30 new additional features, as well as bug fixes and optimizations. The upgrade is free for existing users. [Download - 1.8MB]


• Scripture Solitaire 1.0 ($15) helps users become familiar with Bible verses as they play cards. Normal card ranks (King, Queen, and others) are replaced with phrases that form a Bible verse. Gameplay proceeds in the same fashion as traditional solitaire, and the software includes hundreds of Bible verses as well as an editor for adding verses. Scripture Solitaire 1.0 requires Mac OS X 10.1 or later. [Download - 2.8MB]

Briefly: MacNN review; FMP, FCP at NAB

In brief: MacNN has reviewed the USB 2.0 and FireWire Combo hub ($80, shown at right) from Macally Peripherals.... FileMaker this week during the 2006 NAB event will be demonstrating how the integration of FileMaker Pro (FMP) with Final Cut Pro (FCP) in post-production environments benefits video professionals.... A new website -- GameTrove -- has launched, allowing players to get their games directly from the developers without middlemen.... Ebay may be preparing to enter the music download business through its Skype subsidiary and compete with Apple's iTunes.... iPodNN notes that Amazon.com's subsidiary, CustomFlix Labs, has signed deals with television networks including NBC Universal that could allow it to sell DVDs of television shows soon after they air.

BatchOutput automates PDF print, export

Zevrix Solutions has released BatchOutput 1.0, an application designed to automate printing and PDF export of multiple documents in Adobe InDesign. The software can output using InDesign print or export to PDF presets, or output using current InDesign print/export settings. Users can export all PDFs to one folder or to the folder with the original InDesign document, and can automatically output all files on the list with or without showing a print/export dialog for each file. Users can also clone documents or leave them open, and may choose to output all pages or pages from a specific range. New InDesign presets are made available in BatchOutput immediately, and an interactive file list speeds the process of opening/revealing files. BatchOutput is available for $25, and requires Mac OS X 10.4.2 or later with Adobe InDesign CS or CS2.

Seiko debuts faster Smart Label Printer

Seiko has introduced a new model in its flagship Smart Label Printer (SLP) line, offering higher resolution and a print speed of approximately one second per label. The new SLP 450 adds 2D barcode printing and improved network connectivity, delivering high-quality, professional-looking labels that can include patient or customer information, bar codes for storing, shipping or inventory tracking, as well as text and graphics for labeling office files or cabinets. It supports text, graphics or barcodes in a wide range of sizes and prints at 300 dpi resolution. The USB-based device also adds 2D barcode support and works with Mac OS X 10.2 or later. It is expected to ship in May for $190, while the cross-platform 2D barcode software will be available shortly afterwards.

Apple to sell ads on iTunes?...

Apple may soon be adding advertising to its its popular iTunes serice, according to content partners who have been briefed on the plan. The introduction of visual ads could be the first step to allowing ads in other content areas or on iPods, reports Ad Age: "Apple CEO Steve Jobs has supported the idea of ad-supported podcasts, so adding a visual component to the existing audio ads isn't much of a stretch." While Apple's current plans are for the advertising to appear only in the lower-left corner of the iTunes library while users listen to podcasts from their computers rather than from portable devices, the report notes that it is a "big step for the service, which has so far limited ad intrusions to audio spots embedded in some of the podcasts offered via iTunes."

'Compression' apps for Intel Macs

Popwire today announced the immediate availability of Universal binary versions of its two leading media compression software products, Compression Engine and Compression Master. In addition, both updates add support for MXF and IMX, GXF, transport streams, H.264 High Profile, Flash 8, two-pass encoding and AAC audio. Compression Engine now also features an extended High Availability function, remote monitoring and event actions facilitating for system integration. The updates also feature optimization for Apple’s Xsan and support for distributed encoding in a clustered solution. Compression Master ($445) converts to and from all common formats such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4, QuickTime, DV, H.264, 3GPP, Flash and Windows Media, while Compression Engine is a powerful, high quality media encoder for environments with high requirements on throughput.